The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-05-07
POSSIBILITIES OF THE
PINE BELT.

PRODUCTIVE POSSIBILITIES OF TIL
PINE BELT.
IPicayuue.l
| II is conceded that the land of tht
"pine belt" along the Gulf coast is by
no means fertile, but after the timbe,
Is cleared from it there remain possi-
| bilities in agriculture which are full OF
promise, and whose practical produc-
tiveness has been satisfactorily tested
In a printed report of the transactions
Of the Interstate Dairymen and Fruit
Growers Convention, held last Fab
ruary in Jackson, Miss, which has
just been received, some interesting
observations on the agricultural capa.
bil,ties of the Gulf coast region are
presented by Capt. e. NJ. Hudson, OF
this city, who owns and profitably oper.
ates dairy and fruit farm in Alabama
some twenty miles above Mobile. IHis
experiences in detail are too volumi~
nous for reproduction here, hut refer.
ence will be made to them in regard to
several important particulars. He char.
acterizes the pine belt as "a vast region
it is true, extending from n line, mid
way this State, from east to west, down
to the Gulf Of Mexico. This territory
includes, south of the line indicated,
by far the greater part OF the States Of
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana, which is conmUuly know
as the 'piny woods of the South. 1t
is Il section Of country bearing the nos
blest forests of yellow pine timber; but
1t has sandy soil, notoriously deti>
cient in potash and devoid of humus.
Nevertheless there is generally, but
not always, found an underlying snb-
soil of more or less substantial yellow
clay, located at from 6 to l5 inches he.
low the surface. Occasionally a bed of
shard pam IS found in place of clay,
but fortunately such formations--un-
fitting the soil for the production of
profitable crops other than early vego-
tables-are not Of frequent occurrence
in the region in question:"
1t is on such land that he has pros
duced good yields Of a choice variety
of corn, which crops of oats, German
miiiet cow peas, sorghum and crab
grass for stock forage tiourished lux
uriantiy. For sweet potatoes this
region is unrivaled, and for various
lines of early garden vegetables and
truck farming for the Northern mars
kets, such lands as lie adjacent to the
great truck lines Of railway are emi-
nently adapted. For fruit growing
many advantages are offered, and Mr..
Hudson was able to place his Bartlett
pears and choice grapes In the mark cts
of Chicago and st. Paul several weeks
ahead Of the California shipments
while they constantly commanded top
prices in competition with the best of
California varieties.
There is SO much rich land in tho
Gulf States that the pine woods region
has been greatly neglected by planters,
whose sole attention was given to cot,
ton. But under rational system, which
is bound in the end to prevail in this
country, the farmer who makes himself
independent by producing everything
needed for the subsistence Of his fam.
lily, his labor aud his live stock, will
in the long run always cotne out ahead
of the ambitious planter who only
aims to grow cotton, and who piles up
mortgages upon his rich alluvial lands,
so that he may buy hog, hominy, corn
and hay from the North for the suP-
port of his working force.
In addition TO tho considerations
mentioned, the vast pine forests seem
TO breathe healing and balsamic intlu-
ences into the atmosphere peculiarly
gratetulto persons suffering with weak
lungs. This region is coming to be
regarded as a sanitarium, with yearly
increasing evidence in its favor. The
pine belt is coming more and more
into public Importance, and the day is
not far distant when this neglected
and once despised region will grow
into the highest esteem as a paradise for
fruit-grOwers and resort for in
vatids.